Biodiesel production by microalgal biotechnology (original) (raw)
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A comprehensive review on biodiesel as an alternative energy resource and its characteristics
Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2012
As the fossil fuels are depleting day by day, there is a need to find out an alternative fuel to fulfill the energy demand of the world. Biodiesel is one of the best available resources that have come to the forefront recently. In this paper, a detailed review has been conducted to highlight different related aspects to biodiesel industry. These aspects include, biodiesel feedstocks, extraction and production methods, properties and qualities of biodiesel, problems and potential solutions of using vegetable oil, advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel, the economical viability and finally the future of biodiesel. The literature reviewed was selective and critical. Highly rated journals in scientific indexes were the preferred choice, although other non-indexed publications, such as Scientific Research and Essays or some internal reports from highly reputed organizations such as International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy Information Administration (EIA) and British Petroleum (BP) have also been cited. Based on the overview presented, it is clear that the search for beneficial biodiesel sources should focus on feedstocks that do not compete with food crops, do not lead to land-clearing and provide greenhouse-gas reductions. These feedstocks include non-edible oils such as Jatropha curcas and Calophyllum inophyllum, and more recently microalgae and genetically engineered plants such as poplar and switchgrass have emerged to be very promising feedstocks for biodiesel production. It has been found that feedstock alone represents more than 75% of the overall biodiesel production cost. Therefore, selecting the best feedstock is vital to ensure low production cost. It has also been found that the continuity in transesterification process is another choice to minimize the production cost. Biodiesel is currently not economically feasible, and more research and technological development are needed. Thus supporting policies are important to promote biodiesel research and make their prices competitive with other conventional sources of energy. Currently, biodiesel can be more effective if used as a complement to other energy sources. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://ac.els-cdn.com/S1364032112000044/1-s2.0-S1364032112000044-main.pdf?\_tid=81e1cff0-4a84-11e3-b5c7-00000aab0f26acdnat=1384142052\_5c743ac0f3334aef4f18e016b0b939bd http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032112000044
A brief discussion of general aspects of Biodiesel Production
Environmental concerns dominate the world scene in the XXI century. The petroleum and its derivatives are a major contributor to the non-renewable sources of energy. However, there are forecasts that in a time near the main sources of petroleum may exhaust. Thus, the search for alternative sources of energy, beside environmental necessity is essential to ensure the well being of all. The mineral diesel, the main petroleum derivative, is an extremely fuel used. Its use in diesel engines leads to high rates of emission of greenhouse gases. A potential substitute for diesel fuel is biodiesel. Biodiesel consists of alkyl esters of long chain carboxylic acids, from renewable sources such as vegetable oils or animal fats. The introduction of biodiesel in the energy matrix has been stimulated by environmental factors, where studies have shown that the burning of biodiesel leads to significant reduction of greenhouse gases, and also economic and social factors.
Biological Methods in Biodiesel Production and Their Environmental Impact
Applied Sciences, 2021
This publication presents the technologies of enzymatic biodiesel production in comparison to the conventional methods using acid and base catalysts. Transesterification with conventional catalysts has some disadvantages, and for this reason, alternative methods of biodiesel production have been investigated. These solutions include the replacement of chemical catalysts with biological ones, which show substrate specificity in relation to fats. Replacing chemical with biological catalysts causes elimination of some disadvantages of chemical processes, for instance: high temperatures of reaction, problematic process of glycerol purification, higher alcohol-to-oil molar ratios, and soap formation. Moreover, it causes operational cost reduction and has a positive environmental impact. This is due to the lower temperature of the process, which in turn translates into lower cost of equipment and lower GHG emissions associated with the need to provide less heat to the process. The increas...
Production of biodiesel: possibilities and challenges
Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, 2007
Biodiesel, defi ned as monoalkyl fatty acid ester (preferentially methyl and ethyl esters), represents a promising alternative fuel for use in compression-ignition (diesel) engines. Biodiesel fuel comes from renewable sources as it is plant-not petroleum-derived and as such it is biodegradable and less toxic. In addition, relative to conventional diesel, its combustion products have reduced levels of particulates, carbon oxides, sulphur oxides and, under some conditions, nitrogen oxides. Enzymatic production of biodiesel has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional chemically catalyzed processes. The main obstacle facing full exploitation of the enzyme, lipase, potential is its cost. Therefore, reuse of lipase is essential from the economic point of view, which can be achieved by using the lipase in immobilized form. In addition, immobilized lipase displays improved stability and activity. Common immobilization techniques include attachment to solid supports and entrapment within the matrix of a polymer. This article presents a comparison between conventional processes and enzymatic processes and different possible feedstocks for biodiesel production. In addition, possible ways to overcome the problems facing the use of lipase are described.
A comprehensive review on biodiesel as an alternative energy resource
As the fossil fuels are depleting day by day, there is a need to find out an alternative fuel to fulfill the energy demand of the world. Biodiesel is one of the best available resources that have come to the forefront recently. In this paper, a detailed review has been conducted to highlight different related aspects to biodiesel industry. These aspects include, biodiesel feedstocks, extraction and production methods, properties and qualities of biodiesel, problems and potential solutions of using vegetable oil, advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel, the economical viability and finally the future of biodiesel. The literature reviewed was selective and critical. Highly rated journals in scientific indexes were the preferred choice, although other non-indexed publications, such as Scientific Research and Essays or some internal reports from highly reputed organizations such as International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy Information Administration (EIA) and British Petroleum (BP) have also been cited. Based on the overview presented, it is clear that the search for beneficial biodiesel sources should focus on feedstocks that do not compete with food crops, do not lead to land-clearing and provide greenhouse-gas reductions. These feedstocks include non-edible oils such as Jatropha curcas and Calophyllum inophyllum, and more recently microalgae and genetically engineered plants such as poplar and switchgrass have emerged to be very promising feedstocks for biodiesel production.
Biodiesel : Toward a better future
As James Joseph, a pioneer diesel expert, suggested in 1980, diesel has gained much portion in fuel economy (Joseph, 1980). Due to its thermal efficiency, diesel can be combusted better and produce more power output than gasoline (Joseph, 1980). Since then, diesel engines have been a tough competitor to petroleum fuel (Joseph, 1980). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a governmental branch that deals with nation’s energy and enforcing the regulations and promoting standard of health and environment, the problems however, were at due (EPA, 2004). More sulfur, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides are being emitted continuously during the 1980s (EPA, 2004). Simultaneously, the oil reserves now have been in consideration for extraction, suggesting that sooner or later the world would need to switch its source of fuel to something that is immediately abundant, and desirably is compatible with current technology and infrastructure (EPA, 2004). Thus, such alternatives for fossil fuel then are being studied and developed, including biodiesel (EPA, 2004).
With the increasing issue of global warming, there is an urgent need for a potent substitute of fossil fuels as the usage of fuel cannot be reduced or eliminated, by any chance. The substitute should be proved to be efficient as well as economical for the consumers to enhance the rapid shifting of usage of fossil fuels to the substitute ones. There are various instances of availability of bio-fuels which can substitute fossil fuels but they don’t stand to be consumer friendly with respect of cost effectiveness. For example, there have been reports of bio-fuel produced from sugarcane and various oil crops but they are too costly to substitute fossil fuels. Also, the bio fuel needs to be carbon neutral to control the alarming rate of increment in global warming. The cost of production for the bio fuel can be reduced by using natural, freely available sources and an efficient design of low cost bio-reactor.